KUCHING, April — A total of 125 rural telecommunications tower under the Sarawak Multimedia Authority Rural Telecommunication (SMART) initiative will be on stream by June 1, the day of the Gawai Dayak celebration.

State Utilities and Telecommunications Minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi said seventy of the SMART towers have been operating since Hari Raya Aidilfitri last week.

"By Gawai Day, a further 55 SMART towers will be in operation,” he told reporters when met at his Ministry’s Aidilfitri Open House here today.

Julaihi said Sarawak government has allocated RM1.8 billion to build 600 new towers under the SMART project, in collaboration with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to improve internet coverage in the state.

The installation of the towers is being handled by Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), which is state government subsidiary.

Julaihi said Sarawak targets to build 7,000 telecommunications tower across the state to expand internet coverage.

"Thus far, over 50 per cent or more than 3,500 telecommunications towers have been built in Sarawak,” he added. — Bernama